***
The car Blake spoke of was a silver convertible Mercedes Benz. Did he really want me to drive his expensive car into town? The only other car in the garage was a red corvette and I definitely didn’t think he wanted me driving his sports car.
Sliding into the plush leather seat, I took a moment to familiarize myself with the vehicle. Once I found all of the buttons and gadgets I would need for the ride, I pulled out of the garage. Of course I had to put the top down. What would be the point in riding in a convertible if I did not put the top down?
Fortunately, it was not far to get to town. I remembered the directions from when Blake drove us there. Very simple, two lefts and a right and I was there. Once there, I found a parking space, fed the meter, and decided that it was better that I walk around and see what peeked my interest for work.
Maybe I could go and see if Mandy needed some help at her boutique. Then I decided that was not a good idea because I spent so much time working in fashion and beauty already. Instead, I thought I should look somewhere else to start. First on my list was to grab a coffee. A little caffeine was always helpful to get my mind flowing.
Maybe I could find something at the hospital. The more I thought about that, the more I realized that I hated to see people when they were down and out, and I definitely was not going to survive the sight of blood.
There was the diner, a few more boutiques, a seamstress shop, the movie theater, and the library. When I thought of the library, suddenly a light bulb went off. The library would be the perfect place to find peace and quiet. It would most certainly be the change of pace that I needed in my life.
Headstrong, I marched right in and up to the circulation desk. "Hi, my name is Christy. I'm new in town and I'm hoping that you have a position available for me. I'm looking for work."
The woman behind the counter was pleasant and I wondered how long she'd worked there. She looked down her nose, over her glasses.
"Well now, we weren't necessarily looking for someone."
My heart sank.
"But, I could use a little help around here anyway, now that I think about it. Not much, maybe three days a week. The library is closed on Sundays. I can pay you every week. You can start on Monday."
I could not believe my fortune. I walked in and got a job on the spot.
"That would be amazing. Thank you so much! I'm Christy by the way."
Extending my hand, I actually wanted to hug the woman instead.
"Everyone around here calls me Miss Leigh Anne."
"Thank you again, Miss Leigh Anne."
"Be here at eight. I can do a little training with you before we open at nine."
Perfect. We smiled and bid each other goodbye. Things could not be any better. That was the most amazing experience so far. Knowing that I could stay here in town was making this all the more real to me. I decided to stroll around town a little longer. There was no harm in getting to know the place where I was going to live for a while.
Walking through the quaint streets made me both happy and homesick. Thinking of home made me smile. Not because of the things that I lost, but because of the things that I was about to gain. After losing so much so quickly, things were picking up with the same amount of speed. I was learning that I did not have to focus on the things that were no longer within my grasp. Trying to hold on to those things, those people, it would stop me from moving forward to the place that I needed to be.
That was what this trip was all about in the first place. Finding a different me, that person that was buried down deep inside. That person that had not given myself a chance at life, that person that did not believe in love.
I was now starting to believe that anything was possible. How else would I be able to make the decision to hit the road after losing everything and still come up on what was best for me?